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Year in Review 2009

I was thinking about everything we had done this year and wanted to jot it all down for a reminder when I feel like nothing ever happens to me (yes, I have those days). So here goes:

Most recently we traveled to Maine for Christmas. We visited with family and made time for old friends. It was an awesome trip and I can’t wait to go back “home” again in February..

I stopped smoking on Christmas Day. I have tried before. This time is different. Don’t ask me how I know. Just take my word for it.

I started volunteering every week at Interfaith Homeless Network. I work in their office helping them answer phones, do mailings, type letters, etc. Keith and I go down once a month (sometimes twice) and help out in the day center and just hang out with the homeless families. Its nice. It makes their days not quite so boring and it really helps us too.

Thanksgiving was a great time this year. We opened our doors to anyone who didn’t have family in the area to go to or to anyone who didn’t WANT to go to family in the area. That morning we went downtown and did the Grateful Gobbler Walk. That evening was dinner. Dropped cherry pie and all.

An elf came to visit. He was such a success and made such wonderful memories with us all that he will DEFINITELY be back next year. A special thanks to Mitzi Talley, for without her, Tique never would have came to visit that first time.

I learned that I have a penchant for creating things made out of cake batter. Now, am I perfect? far from it. But I am getting better. and its easy for me. I have this awesome book called Hello Cupcake and just work my way through the book and am having a blast doing it. Keith is going to let me take a cake decorating class soon! I am uber excited!

We made a TON of new friends this year and they are such GREAT friends. I won’t list them all by name here. They know who they are and they are dearly loved. Most of them came out of the new church we are attending (which will be mentioned later) and are simply wonderful, caring, loving, terrific people who aren’t afraid to come into my house, tell me the ugly truth about myself and eat all my food, all at the same time. Many of them on Sunday afternoons during…

The Simple Lunch started on a whim. We opened our house up every Sunday after church to anyone who wanted to come eat a Simple Lunch. I throw something on the stove or in the over thats hopefully going to feed a lot of people and everyone (normally) brings a drink, dessert or side. We eat, we talk and we are merry. I don’t’ spend a lot of money (barely any at all, truth be known), God makes sure that we have enough to eat (although, its been close a couple of times) and we just hang out for a few hours on a Sunday. A couple of times, we have had to shut it down early if we have had something to do. But not often. I don’t care what my house looks like (ok, inside, I do cringe a bit, but I am getting better) knowing that I didnt get around to cleaning on Saturday night and no one seems to mind. Everyone opens the fridge like its their own house and to be quite honest, it is.

My MIL gave me a great gift that, quite honestly, intimidates the hell out of me. A sewing machine. It rocks. I love it. I love sewing. I am so terrified that I am going to mess up that I wont use it anymore. I have bought all this cool (read expensive to me) fabric, that I have stopped sewing. It was great when I was sewing on sheets or plain cotton, but now I have moved on to suedes, its not so easy to mess up. I have a quilt that is cut and ready to be turned into a gift that I must get on but it will be my first gift and I am so afraid I will mess it up, that I havent started it. Its due in two months !!!!!

We took the girls camping this year for the little girls’ first time. Now it WAS in a cabin. With a pool. But for their first time, it was a great experience. A bit of the woods, a lot of campfires and cooking over a fire. NO TV, internet or Wii to entertain and that was a HUGE deal. Just a lot of family time.

Following the camping trip, we headed up to Nashville for a day trip and visited the Zoo and the Rainforest Cafe. The Cafe was a bigger hit than the Zoo I think. Probably more expensive too. For about an hours worth of entertainment. And a not so decent meal. oh well.

On the less than happy note, I battled a horrible medical condition and always will. I was hospitalized once this year due to this condition. The doctors had some VERY serious ideas for treatment (gimme gimme… ) but God had different plans. The week before the seriously dangerous treatments were to begin, I fell down and had a concussion. No treatments. Then it seemed that things evened themselves out on the medical condition thing. Are things normal? No. Are they managed with meds? Absolutely.

2009 brought a few life changing events into the Riddle household. If you are still reading this, you must know what they are, or at least have an idea….

Along about November or December of 2008, Keith and I began seeing a billboard that read “If you hate church.com” Keith and I attended a church that we were less than thrilled with. We were casually visiting other churches. To be honest, I was so involved in things there (not NEARLY to the level I am now, just with the kids and VBS) that I wasn’t that into moving for the kids’ sake. Anyway… I visited the website. I started emailing with the pastor of this new church that was going to open its doors in January. He kept inviting us to an open house at his home. We couldn’t ever make it. It was on a Wednesday and that’s when I was teaching Youth Drama at our old church. And even if we didn’t have Youth Drama, there always seemed to be a reason that we couldn’t make it to the May’s. Finally Ryan (the pastor) invited us to dinner on a Thursday since we couldn’t make it out on a Wednesday. We went. We met. We fell in love with him and his wife, Selina and even their son, Gannon. He sold us on his idea of this church called The Net.

One morning, we showed up to help the launch team set up and break down their set. We did a run through of a service. Its no exaggeration to say that in FIVE minutes time, we felt more at home than we did in five YEARS time at our old church. And I mean NO disrespect to those from Morris Hill. I love Mo Hill. I love the people. I love the leadership. It was not for us. We connected with those people in an amazing way. We knew IMMEDIATELY where God wanted our family. We have been a Net Family ever since and haven’t questioned it a single time. It has truly changed our lives and our walk.

Keith and I re-read a book about the same time together. It was called The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. I highly recommend it. The re-reading changed our lives. This guy talks about what it means to be a Christian. Not in pretty ways. In the ways that matter. In the ways that you SHOULD be doing it. In the every day ways. In the down and dirty ways. He lives in an inner city ghetto in Philly. Intentionally. He hangs out with the homeless and the downtrodden and sees Jesus every day through those people. He has simplified his life and gotten rid of the “stuff” that doesn’t matter. Who needs five tvs? (Well the Riddles DID but not anymore. More on that later.) Anyway, you should read the book. And live the life. That’s what we are trying to do. Live a life that Jesus would live if he were here today.

Love Jesus. Love People. Its that simple guys.

We actually got to meet Shane Claiborne this year. He was speaking in Athens, TN and we all (We took Abby and even Heather and Jamie went) drove up and heard him. Keith and I went two days in a row. We met him, hung out, talked to him a bit. He is amazing. he is a southerner (from Maryville, TN)
and just as nice and intelligent as he could be.

Reading about Shane and his passion for the homeless has further ignited OUR passion for the homeless. Ryan (the aforementioned pastor) found out that I have a passion for outreach and the homeless. in that first meeting with him, he explained that The Net would be made up of many small groups and perhaps I would like to start one focused on nothing but outreach. The idea intrigued me but I didnt do anything about it. In June I think, Ryan came to me and asked if I would organize a feeding of the homeless we were going to be a part of in conjunction with The Springs Church in Ft. O. I jumped on it. Then he suggested that since it went so well, we start a small group revolving around that. Thus, Net Reach was born. Yeah, we started that small group Ryan wanted. I think we have grown beyond what he originally envisioned. our small group (ha small) has 52 people in it. Thats about 1/4 of the church. Keith and I come up with outreach ideas and organize them, invite anyone and everyone out to them and a group of people get some small, some large community project/volunteer work done. Its amazing. We do battered women’s shelter makeovers, feeding the “hungry”, hospital visitation, decorating homeless shelters for Christmas, etc.

If Keith and I had our way, we would do the Net Reach stuff all the time. Thankfully (i Think haha) we have Ryan to pull us back in from time to time. So we do a lot of stuff on our own. Part of that stemmed from simplification. We decided (after reading THE book) that we have too much stuff. I mean, seriously, who needs 75 band tshirts, other than Keith? How many pairs of too small jeans do I need (although now that I lost 20 pounds, I could use a pair!)? Why do I have 17 forks? So we simplified. I have 7 outfits. Three pairs of shoes. A set of dishes for each of us. Keith weeded out the tshirts to I THINK 20. We got rid of 3 TVs. Countless movies and CDs and books out the wazoo. Yeah. *I* parted with books. Can you imagine? I, who had books on every flat surface of the house. I got rid of books.

So we simplified first. Then we took – seriously – an entire back of the Pathfinder load of clothing to the community kitchen and gave it away.

Then we did the same with the rest of the house and gave it to various non profits.

Then the simplifying wasnt enough. So we started hanging out with the homeless. We know them by name. We went down last night to have a New Years Eve party with them. We made sandwiches, bought water, took a box of sparklers and headed downtown. Too bad none of them were out and about.

Wow. I just stopped to catch my breath. This was supposed to be a bullet pointed list with a sentence or two explaining each item. boy did I get off track. I will stop now.

The one thing I want to point out is how well our family is doing. For those of you who are NOT part of the family that has joined with us this year, you know how much our family has struggled over the past few years. We have had more than our fair share of stress and pain (at least I think its more than our fair share. maybe not.) We are finally happy now. Its about durn time, don’t you think? I love my family more than anything and I will walk through hell to keep us this happy. It has totally been worth it. From my marriage to my struggles with exes, to my struggles with stepchildren to my struggles with raising a teen, it has finally paid off. I am at peace. Love to you all. I hope 2010 is a banner year for us all.

*meow*

I feel like a kitty cat today. I’m curled up with my pjs on in the sun. I stretch like a kitty cat and smile. I think back over the past week with a warm cup of coffee and am content.

Its been hectic, but its been good. Let me fill you in. Or put it down on paper so I can remember it rather.

We flew in on Sunday. We flew from Chattanooga to Charlotte and from Charlotte to Boston. My InLaws picked us up in Boston and there was probably six inches of snow on the ground. it was gorgeous.

On Monday, we went about forty five minutes north to my Brother and Sister In Law’s house. More snow there! We had a baby shower for my SIL and a birthday party for Keith. Quite the evening.

Tuesday was a shopping day.

Wednesday Keith and I went downtown with my FIL to help sort toys for The Bruce Roberts Toy Fund. Its really cool and if you are lucky, you will her a ton more about something similar here in Chattanooga but let’s just let it go at it’s a toy drive for under privileged children. Its set up totally different from anything I have ever seen before and I hope to do it here. Keep your fingers crossed and your prayers lifted. That night Keith and I went out with some old friends of his. We had a great time.

Thursday was Christmas Eve and we went to my Sister In Laws Parents house. There was snow mobiling, snow ball fighting, sledding, intertubing and snowman making to be had there. Then inside for hot chocolate and coffee. Then off to home before we headed back out for stocking stuffers!! And helping my MIL wrap all her presents. And her stocking stuffers. I have never met anyone who wraps stocking stuffers before her. So now I have to do it because its just weird if I don’t.

Friday was Christmas. It was a wonderful day. The girls slept in until around 8:30. We made French Toast and Pancakes for everyone while we waited on my BIL and SIL to head down and then we opened stockings. Tique left a note telling us he had left a friend and whoever found that friend got to play Santa this year. We found an elf from my Rudolf figurine collection in Keith’s stocking. Keith handed out presents and we had a blast opening them.

For those of you who have asked the girls presents were as follows and I am sure I am forgetting stuff:

Abby got EVERYTHING she asked for and then some. She was totally spoiled. A laptop (from her dad), a digital camera, an Ipod, a couple of tshirts, a couple of clothing gift cards, some ITunes gift cards, a board game, two tons of makeup and books.

Katie received a $75 Barnes and Noble GC, clothing gift cards, a Japanese shirt that she is using as a sleep shirt, a board game, a new bed, a GALLON of clay, books, books, and more books.

Emily got a leather biker’s jacket (its the cutest thing on her and she absolutely LOVES It more than any of the girls love ANY of their presents!), clothing gift cards, make up, a nail makeover kit, clothes, board games, cds, movies, books, clothes, clothes, clothes

Everyone received PJs the night before Christmas Eve from Tique.

The evening of Christmas we went to see The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock. Keith and I have already seen it once already but its such a good movie we were willing to see it again. The family – all of them – loved it.

And on Christmas evening at 9.30 PM, I gave my family the final Christmas gift, I smoked my last cigarette. Woohoo!

Saturday the family went over to a snow park. Yeah, much like a water park, its an amusement park in the snow. I wasn’t interested in it so I slept in the car and read some in the car. Then Keith and I went and had lunch with some more of his old friends. After that we were back home for packing and dinner.

It was a terrific trip. It was absolutely, the best trip we have had with his family so far. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I was really worried this time about going because I was so looking forward to having Christmas here with our Net Family but it was so good! I am very glad we went.

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Interfaith Homeless Network

I first heard about Interfaith Homeless Network from my friend, Kenny at a Net Reach meeting. He briefly mentioned it, said I should check them out. I made a mental note that I quickly erased.

A few weeks later, I was trying to find some lesser known non-profits for Net Reach to work with and I came across Interfaith again. I checked out theirsite and to be honest, (no offense Ruth or Mary Ellen!!!) the site didn’t catch my eye, but eventually, this page did.

I printed off the application and mailed it in. I waited a week and heard nothing. I called to check on the application. Someone would get back with me. I waited another week. Repeated the process. A couple of weeks later, I went to the volunteer’s meeting for the Grateful Gobbler walk. Ruth, the admin over at IHN was there. I asked about volunteering. She said she would have someone call me.

A couple of weeks later someone did.

So here I am today to educate you guys on what Interfaith does.
They are a homeless day center for families. They partner with about 40 local churches. The churches provide a place for the families to sleep at night and transport the families back to the day center in the mornings. The families then have a place to spend their days so they are not out on the streets.

They have access to showers, laundry facilites, a kitchen, living room, play area (both indoors and out), a nap area for the little ones and a library. They soon will be adding a computer to their extra room to apply for jobs online.

Last weekend, Keith and I went down to volunteer a few hours of our time. We just hung out. We watched a movie. Keith played a few games of chess. I talked to moms. We ate popcorn (not in the living room though! That is against the rules!). We had a great time.

I met some truly amazing people. Its hard for me to imagine what it must be like. These women are in the same position I was in a few years ago: poor, single moms without family to support them. How easily I could have become just a statistic to so many people. How amazing to be helping them.

This weekend, we are going to decorate for Christmas. I am going to take a few Christmas movies down. I bet we have a great time again.

Wow, did this totally sound like a sales pitch?
maybe it was.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Here I am posting about Christmas, and I never posted about our Thanksgiving! For shame!

The first thing we did was get up at 4:45 to work the Grateful Gobbler Walk benefiting The Homeless Coalition. Phew does 4:45 come early! Especially when you stayed up late the night before celebrating the fact that it is a holiday and you don’t have children around. We worked the walk, walked the walk and ran home to cook.

We opened our home up to the church and those who didn’t have family in the area to spend the holiday with. We ended up with fifteen people here! What a turn out.

We had also invited a guy that Keith had met at one of our very first feedings, Randy. Randy doesn’t have a home right now. He and Keith had really connected and then he stopped coming to the feedings. Someone said he got arrested. Then another month someone else confirmed it. Then a couple of weeks ago we saw him. And invited him to dinner. Keith went downtown a few times to try and find him to no avail. We found him over the weekend and he was sorry he missed it. I am too.

I cooked a huge meal. There was wine pouring, food abounding, conversation flowing and did I mention cherry pie being dumped on my front porch? Yes. Thanks to Sarah and Ryan, one of my favoritest Thanksgiving memories will now go something like this…

Chit chatting in the kitchen with Terry (the first to arrive). Putting cheese and crackers out on the table. I hear people coming up the steps and a dull “thunk thunk thunk” that sounds vaguely like someone knocking on my door with their knee. I figured someone had their hands full.

No. Just the opposite , in fact.

I opened the door to a very shamed face Sarah. Who had dropped her GORGEOUS (or so it seemed from what was left) cherry pie down my front steps. It was quite humorous actually. And its not like we didn’t have enough food.

There were no crazy relatives to deal with. The house was cozy, the company was incredible, the food (in my opinion) was just fine and no one choked. How’s that for a good Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Chapel, Dallas, TX

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A world in which elves exist and magic works offers greater opportunities to digress and explore. Terry Brooks

Last night, we decorated our tree! I love decorating the tree. We decorate the first chance we get with all three girls right after Thanksgiving.

Keith pulled down the tree from the attic, opened it up and lo and behold there was an ELF in our box! He was holding a letter from Santa! How about that! Here is what the letter said:

Dear Abby, Katie and Emily,

Jenifer recently contacted me about adopting an elf for this Christmas season. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Tique the Elf. He has been assigned as your Magic Elf.

Tique will visit your home at 124 Melrose Drive every day from December 1, 2009 until December 25, 2009 to observe your behaviour. When I arrive on Christmas Eve, Tique will give me a full report on your behaviour and I will leave presents according to how you have behaved while Tique was visiting.

Be wary! Tique is a very mischievous elf! Jenifer has assured me you ladies can handle him though! He will probably explore your home from top to bottom when you have gone to sleep. I have that problem at the North Pole. Sometimes he makes messes too. It is going to be your job to help clean up his messes too! Jenifer and Keith cannot do all the work by themselves! Remember, Tique will be taking notes!

At any time, Tique’s whereabouts will be subject to whimsy. Basically this means, don’t expect to wake up and find him in the same place where you put him to bed! In the mornings, find him and ask Jenifer to put him back!

One of the most important things about adopting an elf is you may never touch him! He will lose his magical powers! You may talk to him all your want though. And if you want to pass along special messages to me, Tique will be visiting me from time to time to help out in the workshop and can pass those messages along!

One last thing! Be sure and leave out some crackers and water for him at night to snack on! The crackers remind him of crunching snow and the water reminds him of melting ice!
Love, Santa

The girls went crazy! Apparently, Emily had asked for an Elf to come to her mom’s house. I had no idea! But their elf had not arrived at Heather’s yet! (Thank goodness!)

As per Santa’s instructions, I was the only one to touch him and carefully placed him in his new home: the top shelf of the baker’s rack. I caught Emily moving a chair over and whispering her secrets to him a few times.

This morning we woke up and saw that Tique had been busy!

Apparently, our Elf likes the Wii! He really must like Cooking Mama! He fell asleep with that one still on the TV!

Katie was being quite logical about the whole thing. She pointed out that he wasn’t quite tall enough to play the guitar for Guitar Hero and wanted to know why it was out. Hopefully she understands that magic surpasses all logic.

Overall, though, I think all three girls are thrilled with the idea of having a bit more magic this Christmas season. Follow me every day (I hope!) as I document Tique’s happenings here!